


Lights Off

by darkest_nights_will_end



Category: Degrassi, Degrassi the Next Generation, Degrassi: Next Class
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hospitals, M/M, Miles and Owen bond over Tristan, Miles and Owen both love Tris so much, One super small statutory rape reference, Owen and Miles are the focus, Post-Episode: s02e10 #OMFG, References to Pre-next class events, Siblings, Spoilers for Episode: s02e10 #OMFG, The others are pretty background, Tristan's parents are dead for plot convenient reasons, Yep I brought up the Yates thing, ambiguous ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 08:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7926937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkest_nights_will_end/pseuds/darkest_nights_will_end
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What's wrong? Why are you calling me?”  </p><p>“It's Tristan. He was on a bus for the, um, the game, but it- it crashed and flipped over,” </p><p>“Hollingsworth, if this is a joke-”</p><p>“It's not. I promise. I wish it was.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lights Off

Miles was _losing his mind._

 

The bus had crashed. The bus, with _Tristan,_ had crashed. Miles had known something was up the moment he’d first called Tristan and received no answer, but not even he could have predicted something as devastating as this. Miles was trying to be strong, but in reality, he was falling apart with every second. He was used to feeling powerless, but this was so much different, _so much worse._ He felt numb, too numb even to cry.

 

He looked around the gymnasium, surveying the chaos. The various students were huddled in groups, expressing their anger, worry, and sadness in different ways.

 

The students from Northern Tech had quietly departed, giving the Degrassi students a more intimate setting to be in. Even though they had lost, at least they hadn’t been struck by tragedy.

 

Vijay and Yael were standing away from the crowd, arms around each other as they watched everything unfold. Miles looked at them and was almost jealous. Why did they get to stand there knowing that their friends and family were all okay? He felt bad for thinking such thoughts, but he couldn’t help it. He would do anything to have Tristan with him.

 

Goldi had a firm hold on Baaz, clearly grateful that her brother had missed the bus. Baaz was returning her embrace, rubbing her back gently in an attempt to be comforting, not caring about  his reputation for once. The two didn’t interact much in school, but right now, they needed to be with each other, Goldi especially, seeing as she was friends with both Maya and Tristan.

 

Shay and Lola were seated on the floor, crying into each other’s arms about Tiny, both visibly shaking. Miles had heard about some of their drama from Frankie, but regardless of who Tiny ended up with, it was obvious that both girls cared for him, and each other, very much.

 

Hunter had at some point taken off the mascot costume and left Yael, and was now holding Frankie in a rare display of affection between the two. Miles couldn’t see her face, but if she felt even a fraction of how he did, Hunter’s shirt would be laden with tears by the time they pulled apart. Miles felt bad, like he was failing as a big brother. His sister was obviously distraught, and Miles was leaving it up to Hunter to comfort her. He wanted to join their hug, for her and for himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to move.

 

Winston and Zoe had parted from their embrace a few feet away and joined Miles. Winston approached him first, hugging Miles tightly, lingering for a bit longer than the two normally would during a hug. When he pulled back, Miles noticed that Winston had a couple tear tracks on his face. Over the years, Tristan and Winston had actually grown quite close, with Winston always being there to help the two with their issues.

 

Zoe hugged him once Winston finally let go, openly crying. The sounds of her sobs were nearly enough to get _him_ to finally start crying as well. He’d always had a soft spot for Zoe, as a girlfriend for a while, but mainly as a close friend. Miles knew she was taking it especially hard, with Grace also having been on the bus, and his heart broke for her. It was hard enough dealing with being without Tristan, Miles didn’t know what he’d do if Zoe, Winston, or either of the twins had been on the bus as well.

 

“It’ll be okay,” Winston said, trying to reassure them as he put his arms around the pair, forming a group hug of sadness and uncertainty.

 

“This doesn’t feel right,” Zoe noted, and Miles couldn't help but agree with her. They weren’t a trio. They were a foursome, with one key member missing.

 

_Tristan._

 

Miles had to admit, it felt nice to be with two of his best friends, but it just wasn't enough. When it came to Tristan, there was one very important person who couldn’t be ignored. He was possibly only one person who felt as strongly about Tristan as he did, albeit in a very different way.

 

 _Owen_.

 

Did Owen know? Miles had only met Tristan’s brother a handful of times, but it was obvious that Owen was very protective over him, a feeling Miles knew all too well. Even if his way of showing it wasn't always conventional, Tristan was without a doubt the most important person in Owen’s life.

 

“Should we go? To the hospital?” Zoe asked hesitantly, pulling Miles from his thoughts.

 

“What if we go and- he’s, you know?” Miles spoke for the first time, but he couldn’t bring himself to say any of the horrible words that came to mind.

 

_Injured._

 

_Critical._

 

_Comatose._

 

_Dead._

 

He took in a deep breath to stop himself from losing the last shred of sanity he was desperately holding on to. He had yet to cry, but that was probably the shock setting in. Everything had happened so fast, one minute he was joking and laughing with Hunter, and the next his world had been shattered around him. He could still see his boyfriend's name clearly displayed on the sheet of paper, and he could still hear Winston’s voice in his head, reading off Tristan’s name.

 

“But what if we go and he's okay?” Winston asked, trying to be optimistic for his two friends.

 

“We’ll get more information at the hospital. At least we won't be standing around here, completely useless,” Zoe pointed out, and Miles had to admit, she was right. He wasn't sure if he was ready to face the possibility, but it had to be done. This wasn't about him, it was about Tristan.

 

“Alright. We should go. But, I, uh, need to make a phone call first,” Miles said, taking out his phone as he excused himself from their touch to talk privately. He considered ringing Tristan again, but he knew it was useless. It took him a moment to dial the number, his hands shaky, but once he got it, he put the phone up to his ear, dreading the conversation that would follow.

 

“What’s up, Hollingsworth?” Owen picked up on the second ring, and by the tone in his voice, it was clear he didn't know about the accident. Miles wasn't sure how Owen knew who was calling, but it honestly wouldn't have surprised him if he kept a list of all Tristan’s friends’ numbers.

 

 _“_ Hey, Owen,” he started off, trying to not sound like he was falling apart. Owen, however, could tell immediately that something was wrong.

 

“What's going on? Is Tris with you?” He asked, his tone making it clear that he didn't want to deal with anything that would delay the inevitable bad news.

 

“Have you seen the news lately?”

 

“No, I don't watch that garbage. Why, what happened? What's wrong? Why are you calling me?” Miles could hear fumbling, probably Owen turning on the TV.

 

“It's Tristan. He was on a bus for the, um, the game, but it- it crashed and flipped over,” Miles barely got the sentence out. It was the first time he'd said it out loud. The line was silent for a moment, and Miles wondered if Owen had hung up, until he spoke, his tone much angrier.

 

“Hollingsworth, if this is a joke-”

 

“It's not. I promise. I wish it was.”

 

“Do you-do you know anything about him? Is he okay?” Owen spoke softly, as Miles’s

words sank in.

 

“We, uh, don't know. But we're on our way to the hospital.”

 

“I'll meet you there in 15 minutes, okay?” It wasn't a question, so much as a statement.

 

“Y-yeah. I'll see you then. Bye,” Miles said, hanging the phone up.

 

He returned to where Winston and Zoe were. While he was gone, Winston had retrieved the twins. Miles appreciated Winston knowing that he couldn’t leave them behind. They stood alongside Miles’s two friends, still locked in embrace. Miles looked at them for the first time since they'd heard about the accident. Frankie’s face was red and puffy, and her cries came out raspy as her voice started to wear. Miles made a mental note to get her and Zoe some water at the hospital so they wouldn't get dehydrated from all the crying. Hunter’s face was stoic, but Miles had known him long enough to know that it wasn't because he didn't care. On the contrary, Hunter felt helpless, unable to do anything more than hug his sister and wipe away her tears.

 

Miles stepped up to the two, pulling them into a tight hug. They returned it, and Miles could only imagine how Owen must be feeling right now. Miles didn't know what he'd do if his siblings had been on that bus.

 

“We're going to go to the hospital, okay? Maybe they'll know something about Jonah,” he said to Frankie, who just nodded.

 

Once everybody was ready, Winston led them to his car. Miles had his car, but he was too emotional to drive, and he was thankful to Winston for knowing without having to be told. If he was being honest, he was also just a bit scared to drive, especially with passengers. He couldn't bear to have another person he cared about involved in any kind of accident.

 

Miles sat on the passenger side, with Hunter, Frankie, and Zoe in the back. Winston started his car, and began the drive to the hospital, quickly but carefully. The hospital wasn't far, but to Miles, every second felt like an hour.

 

* * *

 

Owen was in his car by the time his phone call with Miles had ended. He was still having trouble believing him. There was no way Tristan- _his Tristan,_ was injured. He was fine, right? Owen would know if he wasn’t. _Right?_ He knew they hadn’t always been the closest, but they were still brothers. People always talked about siblings, especially older ones, having a sixth sense about stuff like this, and Owen didn’t feel anything. Nothing good, like knowing Tristan was okay, but nothing bad either, like knowing he was horribly injured- or worse.

 

Things had changed drastically for the Milligans a couple years ago, when their parents had been killed in a car crash. Both boys had dealt with the grief very differently. Owen was upset, of course, but he had never had a close bond with his parents. He didn’t cry, not when he got the call, not when he spoke at the funeral, not the countless times he held Tristan while _he_ cried. But, now, when faced with losing Tristan, Owen was on the verge of tears. He rarely cried, but right now, he didn’t care. Tristan was worth all of his tears.

 

Owen tried calling Tristan, and became frustrated when he was sent to voicemail.

 

_“Heyy! You’ve reached Tristan Milligan, Student Council President, and self proclaimed gossip! I’m not around right now but leave your name and number and I’ll get right back to you. Later!”_

 

“Tris? Are you- are you okay? I need to know. I’m coming, okay? I’ll be there soon.” Owen hung up, pressing the button angrily as the first tear fell.

 

Owen knew he’d been an asshole in his earlier years, but everything was suddenly put into perspective for him as he drove, quite recklessly, to the hospital. It had been Tristan who’d forced him to see the error of his ways, and for that, Owen felt like he was forever in debt to him. The day Tristan came out to him was a day he’d never forget.

 

* * *

 

_Tristan had been avoiding his older brother for a few weeks now. He’d only spoken to Owen when it was absolutely necessary, and when it was, he would speak in short sentences before excusing himself. At first, Owen didn’t think much of it, and he didn’t really care. After all, the two brothers were very different people._

 

_However, after about a month, it was beginning to get under Owen’s skin. He hated to admit it, but he kind of missed Tristan. Despite how he acted, he truly did love and care for his little bro. He tried asking their parents, but they told him to just leave Tristan alone. But there was no way Owen could do that. Something was up, and he was going to figure it out._

 

_He waited until one evening when their parents were out, so he could talk to Tristan uninterrupted. He’d made them dinner, which Tristan ate quickly and quietly, as per usual. Owen tried to ask him questions- How was school going, were his friends involved in any drama, if there were any good new musicals- but Tristan stayed silent, washing his dishes before retreating to his room, leaving Owen to contemplate why Tristan hated him all of a sudden._

 

_Once he had tidied the kitchen, he made his way upstairs, to where Tristan’s room was. He knocked on the door, but received no answer. Owen rolled his eyes, knocking again._

 

_“Tris?” He asked, but once again, the other side was silent. He knew Tris was ignoring him, and he couldn’t figure out why. But he wasn’t leaving until he knew. So, he opened the door, and sure enough, Tristan was inside, on his phone._

 

_“Why are you in my room?” Tristan asked, not looking up. Owen walked over to his brother, taking the phone out of his hand with ease._

 

_“What the hell is up with you lately?” He asked, crossing his arms. Tristan’s face was stoic, betraying no emotion._

 

_“I don’t know what you mean.”_

 

_“What I mean is that you’ve been avoiding me for the past month now, and I want to know why!”_

 

_“I’m not avoiding you.”_

 

_“Yes you are, Tris. You leave the room whenever I enter, you won’t let me drive you anywhere, I’m lucky if you speak a full sentence to me, and you won’t look at me, kind of like you’re doing now,” Owen said. He was getting annoyed at Tristan. Knowing him, it was probably something stupid like Owen not knowing who the latest winner of Canadian Idol was._

 

_“So? What’s it to you?”_

 

_“What’s it to me? You’re my little bro. It’s my job to make sure everything’s alright with you. And obviously, it’s not. So spill,” his voice wasn’t comforting in the slightest. Honestly he just wanted this ordeal to be over._

 

_“You just say that because we’re related. If we weren’t you’d never speak to me,” Tristan pointed out, and Owen had to admit, he wasn’t wrong._

 

_“But we are, and I wouldn’t trade you for anyone. So why don’t you tell me what’s been up your butt the past month.” Owen was a bit uncomfortable expressing the sentiment, but more than anything, he wanted to know what was going on. What Tristan said next surprised him._

 

_“I heard about what you did to those guys. Riley and Zane, right?” Owen nodded, confused. How was this relevant?_

 

_“Yeah. So?”_

 

_“How could you do that to them?” Tristan asked, anger evident in his voice._

 

_“Tristan, it’s complicated,” Owen offered a lame explanation. Was he really upset about Owen pounding two guys who Tristan didn’t even know?_

 

_“What’s so complicated about purposefully hurting people for being who they are?” He tried to hide it, but Owen could see tears forming in Tristan’s eyes._

 

_“Dude, why are you so worked up about this?” Owen asked. It was only then that Tristan looked up at him._

 

_“Would you do that to me?”_

 

_“What? No- why would I?” Owen said, not getting what Tristan was trying to imply._

 

_“Because, Owen. I’m gay,” Tristan said. At first, it was quiet, but then he began to yell at his older brother. “I’m gay. So go ahead. Hit me, or beat me up, or whatever it is you do to people like me! It’s not going to change anything. I’m done being afraid in my own home.”_

 

_Owen stared at Tristan silently. Tristan, his little brother, was gay? Suddenly, everything clicked. In hindsight, Owen probably should have seen it coming. But still, it came as a bit of surprise.Of all the things Owen thought was wrong, it certainly wasn’t this._

 

_Owen didn’t quite know how to feel. After all, he had taunted Riley and Zane. But he also didn’t have a connection with them. He hadn’t known them all his life, or watched them grow up._

 

_“Tris, I’m not going to hurt you,” he said finally, putting his hands up to prove it. He couldn’t stomach the thought of anyone hurting Tristan, let alone actually being the one to cause him harm. “Who else knows?” It was the only thing he could think of to say in the moment._

 

_“Mom, Dad, Tori, Zig, pretty much all my friends.” Tristan shrugged. He was still stiff, as if he was still wondering if Owen would hit him. Owen, on the other hand, couldn’t help but be hurt. Was he really the last to know? It made sense, he reasoned, but it still came as a blow._

 

_But, Owen knew he’d brought this on himself. It was his fault. This is what he got for his treatment of innocent people. He just hoped he could be forgiven._

 

_“Listen. I’m not going to pretend I’m all of a sudden on board with this...But I promise to try to understand. To work at it. It, uh, it might take some time. But that doesn’t mean you’re not still my little bro. I’d rather have you as you are, than not at all. And anyone who gives you a hard time, you say the word and I’ll end them,” he promised. Owen wasn’t one for expressing his feelings, but he figured if he had to do it, now was the time. After all, he didn’t want to lose Tristan._

 

_“Thanks,” Tristan said quietly, unsure how to respond to the sentiments._

 

_“I’ll leave you to it. But I’ll talk to you later,” he gave Tristan an awkward side hug and handed him his phone back before standing up. He walked to the door before turning to his younger brother. “Thanks for telling me, Tris. I, uh, you know,” he mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like “love you” before walking out of Tristan’s room._

 

_He hoped that he could change his ways, learn to be more tolerant. He was sure it would be hard, but if there was anybody who motivated him to do it, it was Tristan._

 

* * *

 

Owen began to recount all of his fondest memories with Tristan as he drove, which only served to make him more upset. What if he never got a chance to talk to him again? He’d always worried that something like this would happen, but he’d always figured it would be some ignorant asshole, not a bus.

 

After their parents’ passing, Owen and Tristan had grown a lot closer. They still argued, and had their disagreements, but overall, they got along. Both boys had been worried about being separated after the incident, but luckily, Owen was old enough that he was able to take legal custody over Tristan. It had been a huge responsibility, but he would do it again in a heartbeat.

He’d had no idea what he would do if Tristan had been taken from him, and now, years later, he was pondering that question for a completely different reason.

 

When was the last time Owen told Tristan he loved him? If he couldn’t remember, it was clearly too long ago. He swore if Tristan was okay, he’d tell him everyday. Never again would he let him go a day without knowing it. He knew Tristan had a great desire to be loved, and even if it wasn’t the same, it was at least some kind of love. But he also knew he wasn’t the only person who loved Tristan.

 

Owen had been a bit skeptical when Tristan told him that he was dating Miles again. After all, the boy had absolutely destroyed his brother’s heart the last time. But after a few weeks, he could see that Miles had straightened himself out, and that he was serious about being with Tristan. One of the first times the two had met in person, he’d found out that Miles had little siblings of his own. And boy had he used that information to his advantage. As an older brother, he reserved the right to give Miles the talk about hurting Tristan. And what better way to get through to him than using examples? However, Miles had been surprisingly receptive to Owen, and the two had formed some sort of friendship. Of course, it made sense, as they had two very important common interests. Little siblings and Tristan.

 

Owen imagined how Miles must be feeling. He knew how close Tristan and Miles had grown over the past year, rekindling and rediscovering their feelings. Owen knew what that felt like, to be in love. He remembered Anya. How much he had once loved her. And how much it had hurt when she left him. He wouldn’t wish that on his worst enemy.

 

He pulled into the parking lot in 10 minutes flat, aggressively stealing a parking spot from somebody else, but he didn’t care. He barely had the car in park before he hopped out, racing into the hospital.

 

* * *

 

Miles was seated in the waiting room, looking down. Every 5 seconds, he checked the door, hoping by some miracle it would Owen, who would hopefully be able to get some information. For some reason, the receptionist didn’t sympathize with 5 teary eyed teenagers desperately asking for information on Tristan (and in Zoe and Frankie’s case, Grace and Jonah).

 

“I’m sorry they won’t tell you anything,” he said to Frankie, holding one of her hands in his own. His sister didn’t have the contact info of either of Jonah’s parents, leaving her forced to wait. She simply shrugged, not saying anything. He could tell she was getting emotionally exhausted, and he sympathized with her. He felt the same way. Hunter was sitting on her other side, his arm around her. Every couple of minutes he tried to get her to talk, but she wasn’t responding.

 

“You don’t have to come with us if we, um, if we get to see Tristan. I know you want to be here in case anything happens. I promise, we won’t leave without you,” he assured her, and she nodded, not removing her eyes from the floor.

 

“And I’ll be here the whole time,” Hunter added.

 

He felt somewhat bad, knowing he would probably get some information about Tristan once Owen arrived while she would get nothing. But at the same time, he _needed_ to know, and nobody was going to stop him. Every second was agony, knowing the love of his life was somewhere in the building, but not knowing how he was doing.

 

The silence left Miles to contemplate life without Tristan. He honestly couldn’t see a life without him. His darkest hours had happened when he and Tristan hadn’t been on good terms, and he didn’t want to return to what he was like then. Tristan had changed him for the better, and without him, Miles wasn’t sure if he’d even be alive right now.

 

He remembered how nervous he’d been to tell Tristan that he loved him. He was the first person Miles had truly been _in love_ with. He had loved Maya and Zoe, but he was never in love with them like he was with Tristan.

 

He’d only been able to imply it the first time he’d said it to him. He was scared of being rejected, of being laughed at, but neither of those things happened. Tristan had known exactly what Miles was trying to say, like he always did. It wasn’t until after their first time that Miles told him flat out. That conversation had been one of the most meaningful ones in their entire relationship, as Miles ended up seeing a vulnerability that Tristan hated to display.

 

* * *

 

_The two boys lied together, Miles’s strong arms wrapped around Tristan’s frame. Miles was no stranger to the act of sex, but this time, it had been different. Better. Whether it was because Tristan was a male, or because he’d never loved someone like he loved Tristan, Miles wasn’t sure. But he was the happiest he’d been in a long time. Tristan always had a way of making him feel like he was the luckiest person alive._

 

_“Do you think we should go back out there? You’re missing your brother’s party,” Tristan pointed out._

 

_“He’ll be fine. He probably hasn’t even noticed we’re missing. Right now, I just want to be here, with you,” Miles said, pressing himself as close to the other boy as he could. Not in a sexual way, but in a display of affection. The thought of leaving right now personally offended Miles. He could easily stay there forever._

 

_“Likewise,” Tristan said simply. “I’m glad we worked everything out. And talked about it. I know it was awkward, but I think it was a good idea.”_

 

_“I am too, Tris. I’m glad your first time wasn’t too weird or uncomfortable,” Miles said, and there was a pause._

 

_“Miles, I need to tell you something.”_

 

_“Was it bad? I’m so sorry, I tried my best-”_

 

_“No, no!” Tristan assured him. “You were great, it was great, it was perfect.”_

 

_“Then what do you need to tell me?” Miles asked, becoming increasingly worried._

 

 _“This...wasn’t_ technically _my first time.” This confused Miles. Winston, Zoe, and even Tristan himself had all said he was a virgin._

 

_“What do you mean? I thought-”_

 

_“It’s happened before. Once. But he...he was my teacher, and he kind of manipulated me into it,” Tristan said, turning in Miles’s arms to face him, but refusing to make eye contact. He looked ashamed, but Miles didn’t see why._

 

_“Was it that Yates guy? The one who tried to touch Chewy? Why didn’t you tell me?” Tristan nodded._

 

_“I don’t know, I didn’t want you to think I was gross, or desperate, or used. Are you mad?” Miles gently lifted his chin, forcing Tristan to look him in the eyes._

 

_“Tristan, of course I’m not mad. And you’re not any of those things. You’re perfect. It’s not your fault, okay? It’s not. That man had no right to do that to you. He was the adult, he should have known better.”_

 

_“I just- I don’t like to count it because it wasn’t exactly an enjoyable time. I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t.” Miles rubbed his hand down Tristan’s arm, finally taking his hand._

 

_“And, were you ready this time?” He asked nervously._

 

_“Definitely.”_

 

_“Well, I’m honored to have been your first time,” Miles said with a smile, understanding that he had given Tristan his first pleasant sexual experience, and if Tristan wanted to count that as his first time for real, Miles was all for it. “If you ever want to talk about it, you know I’m here.”_

 

_“I think I’m over it. I’ve got the greatest guy in the world now. But thank you, Miles,” Tristan said, pressing his forehead against Miles’s until their lips inevitably met. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it still conveyed the love and passion they both felt for each other. It was Miles who pulled back first, looking Tristan dead in the eye as he finally said the words._

 

_“Tris?”_

 

_“Yeah?”_

 

_“I love you.”_

 

_“I love you too.”_

 

* * *

 

Miles had to stop thinking, or else he was going to make himself more hysterical than he already was. Zoe seemed to sense his uneasiness, and she broke the silence.

 

“Hey Miles?” She had her arm looped around him, and was leaning her head on his shoulder, which he didn’t mind.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“There’s something I want to tell you. I need to tell you. Just in case I don’t-” her voice cracked. “Just in case I don’t get to tell Tristan.”

 

“You’ll get to tell him, Zo. You will,” he said, not sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

 

“Miles, I’m gay. Tristan knew, and he tried to help me, and I was a jerk to him, I pushed him away,” she said, sounding utterly broken. He looked at her before resting his head on hers.

 

“You’ll get to tell Tristan soon, okay? And he’s going to be so proud of you, just like the rest of us are. I promise. He won’t be mad, he understands. He’s the most understanding guy I know. And I’m sure Grace will be okay too. I understand how you feel right now, trust me. It’s hard, but you aren’t alone,” he said, to her surprise.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“I know _you_ , Zoe.”

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t long before Owen appeared. He entered the waiting room doors with purpose, immediately finding Miles. Miles stood up, prepared to greet him. What he wasn’t expecting was to be embraced by Tristan’s brother. However, it was appreciated, and he hugged him back. It was only then he finally allowed the tears to fall. Hugging him was the closest thing he was going to get to hugging Tristan- for now.  

 

The hug was over as quickly as it started, and Owen soon got down to business.

 

“Do you know anything?” He asked, although he had a pretty good idea.

 

“They wouldn’t tell us, no.”

 

“Okay, I got this. I’ll be right back,” he said, and Miles knew he would take care of it.

 

* * *

 

“Alright, Ma’am. What can you tell me about Tristan Milligan?” Owen asked the receptionist forcefully.

 

“Like I told your friends, I can’t tell you anything unless the guardian of Mr. Milligan is present and gives consent,” she spoke calmly, yet firmly. She was used to dealing with people much nastier than Owen on a day to day basis.

 

“I _am_ his guardian.”

 

“You don’t look old enough to be a guardian,” she looked him up and down.

 

“I _am._ I’m his older brother. Our parents died in a crash, much like the one my brother was in, so forgive me for not wanting to explain my whole life story.”

 

“Do you have proof?” She asked, skeptically. People would say anything to see their loved ones, and while she sympathized with the trauma they must be experiencing, she had a job to do.

 

Owen pulled out his wallet, removing the paper that signified his status as legal guardian. The receptionist took it, examining the paper carefully. The real one was at home, locked carefully away, but Owen carried a copy of it everywhere, just in case.

 

“I’ll contact somebody who can give you a more detailed report of your brother, okay? They should be out soon,” she told him kindly. While Owen wasn’t completely satisfied, at least it was better than nothing.

 

“Alright, thanks,” he nodded before going back over to where the other 5 were seated.

 

* * *

 

“They’re going to send somebody to tell us what’s going on,” he told them, standing in front of them.

 

“Do they at least know if he’s okay?” Winston asked.

 

“She didn’t tell me anything. But if it takes too long, I’ll be making sure that gets fixed right away.”

 

Owen took a moment to survey the group. He’d only met Winston in person once or twice, but he seemed like a decent enough guy. He knew Tristan liked him, and that was enough for Owen.

Holding Winston’s hand was Zoe. Owen had come to know Zoe very well in the past years. She was over at their house a decent portion of the time, and he’d grown fond of her. He knew she had always been there for Tristan, and he could always count on her when he was concerned about something regarding his brother.

 

Then, of course, was Miles. In his brief absence, Miles had managed to wipe away the tears that had formed. His face was pale, except for his eyes, which were bloodshot. He was staring up at Owen, but it was clear he wasn’t really paying attention. He was too lost in his own thoughts.

Owen had a feeling when night came that he would be fighting Miles about going home.

 

He didn’t recognize the two people sitting next to Miles. He did, however, notice the striking resemblance to him. Putting two and two together, he reasoned that they must be Miles’s siblings. He knew that they weren’t close friends of Tristan’s, meaning that either they had been made to come by Miles, or they were also here for a loved one. Noticing the empty, drained look on the girl’s face, and the concerned look on the boy’s, Owen figured it was the latter. He felt awkward, not knowing what to say, especially not around them, so he decided to ask Miles in an attempt to make conversation.

 

“Are these your twins?” He asked, gesturing to them. Miles looked over at them before responding.

 

“Oh, yeah, sorry. This is Frankie, and Hunter,” Miles said, pointing them out. Hunter attempted a weak smile and a nod, his hands too occupied for a handshake.

 

“It’s nice to meet you. Miles has said a lot of good things about you. I’m, um, sorry, it’s not under better circumstances.” He was trying not to be intimidating, not wanting to set the girl off into hysterics.

 

Hunter could see that his brother and Owen needed time to talk about Tristan, and it would be easier without Miles having to worry about him and Frankie. He wanted Miles to be able to completely focus on Tristan. He tapped Frankie’s arm, getting her attention as he spoke.

 

“Miles? I think we’re going to go for a walk. Get something to eat, a drink, you know, a change of atmosphere,” he said, standing up. He pulled lightly on her arms, and she joined him. Miles pulled out his wallet, handing a couple bills to Hunter.

 

“If you need anything, I have my phone.” Miles faked a smile.

 

“Okay. We’ll be back soon,” Hunter nodded before leading his twin away gently. This prompted Winston, who seemed to get the hint from Hunter to leave them alone for a bit.

 

“Yeah, I think Zoe and I are going to go for a drive. Maybe get some food. Do you want anything?” Both boys shook their heads, and Winston and Zoe exited the waiting room.

 

* * *

 

 

Owen sat down in the seat that had been previously occupied by Frankie. He hated hospitals, and now that he didn’t have anything to do, like drive, or harass a receptionist, he wasn’t sure how to go about things.

 

“Your siblings seem nice,” he said. It was an awkward attempt at conversation, but neither seemed to mind. It was better than a silence in which both boys would be thinking only of the worst.

 

“Thanks. Sorry they aren’t their usual selves. My sister’s boyfriend was on the bus, so she’s not taking it well,” Miles said, barely looking up.

 

“It’s fine. I get it, really. And what about you? How are you holding up?” Miles shrugged.

 

“I’ve been better. It feels like we’ve been here for days,” he said, checking his watch. It had been an hour _at most_.

 

“I know. But if something was really wrong, we’d have been told right away.” Owen assured him, and Miles could only nod and hope that he was right.

 

* * *

 

“What if Tristan doesn’t make it?” Miles asked, seemingly out of the blue, after a couple minutes of silence. Owen glared at him at first, but his eyes soften when he saw how wrecked Miles look. Tears were rolling down his eyes, though he tried to keep his voice level. The boy looked so much older than he really was. He probably felt older too. Goodness knows Owen felt about double his age. If he were to look into a mirror, he'd probably see a similar, dead look in his red-rimmed eyes. He wasn't sure how to comfort Miles, but he put a hand on his shoulder. 

 

“Don’t think like that. He’s going to be fine.”

 

“How do you know?” Owen didn’t really, but telling him that wasn’t going to help matters. Miles was anxious enough as it was.

 

“Because. It’s like a blood connection, or whatever.” Owen paused. He’d been thinking about how to approach the subject, and now was as good a time as any. “But there probably is something we should discuss.”

 

“What?” Miles asked, looking up in fear. What could he possibly want to talk about?

 

“You know- Tristan probably isn’t going to be the same after this. Even if he doesn’t have any injuries, which he probably will, so be prepared, he’s not going to be right in the head.” Miles hadn’t thought about that, but he had a point.

 

“Then, what do we do?” He asked. Owen approved of the use of the word ‘we.’

 

“We’ll see how bad things get. I’m thinking at the very least, therapy. But I want you to know that now. Things aren’t going to go back to normal. It took a while for him to recover from the crash that killed our parents.” Miles nodded. Every now and again Tristan would be in a mood where he’d be missing his parents. It made Miles grateful to have parents, or at least his mom. “You’re a huge part of his life, Miles. I know he cares about you, and I know you care about him. But are you ready? Can you handle it? Because I can guarantee it won’t always be easy.”

 

Miles thought about Owen’s words. _Was_ he ready? He had no idea what to expect, and that scared him. But, he reasoned, he loved Tristan more than he hated the unknown. Tristan had helped him through some of his darkest times, helping him was the least Miles could do. Not that he saw it as a chore, because he didn’t. He _wanted_ it. Besides, there was no way he could leave him. Not after all they’d been through. He loved him too much.

 

“Yeah. I...I want to handle it. I want to be there for him, whenever he needs me, and even when he doesn’t,” he said confidently. Owen smiled and patted his shoulder. The two made eye contact and Miles couldn’t help but smile back. It was the first genuine smile either of them had smiled since the news of the accident broke out.

 

“I like you, Hollingsworth. You’re all right.”

 

* * *

 

 

Sometime later, Zoe and Winston returned. They both still looked jaded and worn out, but it seemed that going out, even for just a little while, had been a good thing.

 

The four made light conversation in the waiting room for a few minutes later until finally, a doctor came out and uttered the two words they’d been waiting to hear during their time in the hospital.

 

_“Tristan Milligan?”_

 

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. This is by far the longest thing I've written. Originally, this was just going to be the phone call between Miles and Owen, and then the conversation at the hospital, but somehow, the flashbacks started working their way in, and suddenly this was a 6,000+ word story.
> 
> I always wished Miles and Owen had met on screen. I wanted so badly for Owen to have been around during the Yates thing as well. I'd have loved to see Owen's reaction to Tristan having a boyfriend, especially knowing his last relationship wasn't healthy. I've been thinking of writing a short (hopefully) one shot of 'The Talk' that was referenced in this story but who knows!
> 
> The title comes from a song by Jay Sean, called (obviously) Lights Off. I listened to that song a lot while writing, and I think it fits Owen and Miles in this situation.
> 
> Thank you to everybody who has read, reviewed, or left kudos on this or any of my other work. It means so much!


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